Code of Balance
by Just Miki
Summary: The balance of magic in the world is tipped by the loss of Pitch Black and children are losing their sense of fear. Jacks fun needs fear to keep the children from hurting themselves stupid. Old and new ways will need to sort themselves out to keep the magic in the world from giving everyone a huge headache.
1. Chapter 1

St. North would never tell Jack this but there was something magical in itself about going from bitter cold into your warm inviting home. Admittedly the workshop was was busy and bustling more so than homey, but North liked to think it kept the sparkle of magic that made kids jaws drop on the few occasions one had needed to find Santa for one reason or another over the years. North's personal workshop, however, had remained relatively unchanged from when he had first been chosen. He had made everything himself back then and he liked to remind himself of it with the love and care he had when carving the wood that made the office and firing the glass for the windows, making his own worktable. Adding a little sense of magic to things as he went,

North knew that he had to change as times changed but that didn't mean that he didn't have a preference and this year he had someone to blame. While he kept track of the whole world, a large fraction of his believers dotted the U.S. While he never had to worry about Russia and there was nothing to be done about Australia (Unless the North wind was dealing with issues elsewhere,) much of the U.S. should be expecting a lovely white christmas. The kind that makes people play outside and then barricade themselves in the warmth of their homes for the little bit of christmas magic that only loved ones can bring.

However the elves had come to complain that on a test run with the Yeti's in the sleigh, that there had been a light frost at best. The North Wind was well on course bringing a hard chill and a little bit of christmas cheer that he had stopped to pick up at the Workshop. Jack Frost should be more than nipping at noses by now, and although weather did its thing with or without help, this year his reports spoke of the lack of winter wonderland that followed in Jacks wake. Even North hadn't realized how instinctive this was until Jack fell asleep at the last (and Jack's first) guardians meeting and froze half the workshop in amazing pillars of ice and blanket of snow. Fortunately it had been after christmas and they had been discussing how well the believers were doing in the aftermath of Pitch Black so less harm was done.

Where were the deadly beautiful icicles and heaping mounds of pristine snow that made even adults pause in wonder? The christmas lights just didn't look as beautiful in a background of plain city. Even when Jack Frost had been thought of by the guardians as another nuisance mythos, nobody could ignore when Jack Frost came to town. 'Jack Frost nipping at your nose,' indeed. He even got a line in a christmas carol, Jack liked to tease it was his one claim to fame. North privately thought it was the power of the line and some left over christmas magic that kept Jack as strong as he was, even without believers, but when he mentioned this to Cupid last time they ran into each other the Mythos told him that might be his own ego talking. Cupid was always surprisingly pragmatic.

More than this, however, because it had stayed like late autumn into the winter months. Things had stayed busy, people kept doing things that they would have set aside for spring and the slower pace that winter brought was missing. Even the areas that stayed warm year round seemed to pause most of the time, but this year things kept chugging on. They always got busier in preparation for christmas but on the day of? North liked to think that everyone paused to just appreciate a sense of wonder. North might have been just a little concerned that without a good solid winter nobody would slow down and maybe eventually they would plow right through christmas like it was another day of the week.

North was never busier than the days before christmas but this- this he could not overlook. Coat and hat on and Yeti's scrambling for last minute approvals were brushed aside. Looked like his babies were getting a test run with old St. Nick himself this year. If there was one thing they had down it was the sleigh and in no time at all he was airborne. Following a stray thought North invited himself into the Warren.

"Hey hey hey hey! - What do you think you're doing mate?" Bunny was always around when there was action and North stepped out into a field as the Easter icon popped almost immediately out of a tunnel, gesturing wildly at at the sleigh. "What's that bucket of bolts doing in my field?" He roared. "Seemed like good place to park." North commented looking around, "Field of beautiful flowers is not my style but this is nice" The Russians large arms on his hips. "What are you doing here you overbearing toy tinker! Don't have something important to be dealing with right now, like- your holiday?" Bunny was incredulous, standing in a field of beautiful bluebells, paws on his own hips, looking very put out.

"And i'll have you know that I grow the colors for my eggs from these flowers! They are not a landing pad." Chortling loudly North leaned over and clapped Bunny on the shoulder. "Have a little Christmas cheer my friend! Is good to take time off, no?" Bunnies patterned brow creased in irritation. "Speaking of, What are you doing here so close to the big day anyway?" For a moment North saw a warey fear cross the Guardian's eyes and North shook his head at Bunny's thought. It was not Pitch, at least not as far as he knew, that had brought him here. "Have you been into the Middle Realm lately?"

Bunny shook his head, "Too cold for me, my thing is chasing the chills away mate, and that's not for some months yet" Bunnies accent always got thicker when he was brooding. "That's my point!" Roared North. "It's not cold, not the way it should be!"

"Frost slacking off this Annual?" Bunny's mouth tipped sideways. "Maybe yes, Maybe no. I thought perhaps you were picking fight again with boy." To his credit Bunny didn't look offended. "It's not me, but I'd like to know who gave the sprite a vacation." North nodded, they were in agreement then. Bunny took a moment to fuss over feeding his chickens before they set off, giving a simple roar of "Jack Frost" as he tossed his snow globe both Guardians dove into the portal.

They discovered that Jack must have returned to the lake where he had been chosen. It had originally been a small pond but run off from a nearby mountain had widened it into a tree heavy lake aver a century ago.. The lake was in a popular wooded area that was roped off as official hunting grounds and no one but licensed hunters and national preserve rangers came around once things turned cold. Most people favored the bigger more showy lake closer to the commercial area of the woods anyway.

The lake was small and the snow was so thick that even birds couldn't perch in trees and so it was perfectly silent. It was like someone had hit pause and captured a tiny fraction of the Middle Realm into freeze frame. Where ever they were- Pennsylvania, North insisted- it was night and only the moon observed the two Mythos as they looked around and hollered for the other Guardian. It was a stray moon beam the guided the two to the edge of the lake, and there laying beneath layers of ice, was Jack Frost. Spread eagle as if he had been floating in the water on his back, the boy was totally unmoving with his white hair fanned like a halo.

After some pointless time yelling down to the boy and attempting to crack ice that would re freeze instantly, North got an idea and some time later three figures stood by the lake and North and Bunny filled the Sandman in. Curious sand almost as shining as the moonbeams trickled to the boy and gathered over his head into the forms of palm trees and snow flurries. Jack was dreaming. Mythos cannot die so much as they vanish but still it was a relief.

"Can you wake him up?" North wanted to know. Sandy's sand told them that waking people up was not Sandys area but he would try. After some manipulation Jack's dreams turned into ringing alarm clocks and flashing lights. At first there was nothing and then a large "CRACK" filled the air and the Ice shattered in front of them and Jack came spluttering to the shore looking around wildly.

Ice clung to his clothes and even as they watched the lake danced with patterns of confused snowflakes. "What the- where is, what happened?" Stumbling to his feet Jack squinted, "Sandy, what are you doing here, you never come out this far."

"Looks like you overslept Mate." Hopping closer the Bunny shook off the snow clumped in his fur pointedly. "You have job to do and no one is out doing it!" North declared, slapping the boy on the back. Jack shrugged leaning on the staff that had never left his hand, "A quick nap and they call in the rescue party? Man this service is dulux." Jack's voice still had the roughness of sleep. Sandy projected various christmas related things and Jack laughed. "Relax buddy there are still months till Norths big day, I've heard I get to whip up a great show this Annual."

Brow furrowed North rested a hand on Jack's shoulder. "Jack what time do you think it is?" Jack paused to think about it and as he did his own brow furrowed, deep within the boy the spark that told him what he must do seemed confused. "I….don't"

"Christmas eve is two days away kiddo." Jack looked alarmed and the wind around him began to gather. "What are we waiting around for?! We have work to do." Jack had whipped into the air in a panic and with a wave, seemed to bounce off a cloud as he took off. "Well I guess that solves that." Bunny groused. "I am not so sure." North murmured, "I want to know why he was frozen in puddle for so long but-" North straightened "Jack is right, much is left to be done, we will look into this after best time of year."

North could hear Bunny hollering defences of his own time of year after North but the large man but already at the workshop before he finished. Taking the reindeer to their stables North was plunged into the happy chaos that is everything going wrong before a big event. However even as reports filed in of winter finally getting a move on and spilling out over the cities and valleys, North still felt a bit cheated out of some prep days to really bring the christmas spirit around.

To Jacks credit by the time the big night rolled around there was a festive cheer in the air. Children had been tossed outdoors and snowmen and remnants of hand built sledding ramps dotted yards and parks. Things had slowed down with even adults pausing to delight in the puff of white breath they could produce. The moon had projected especially bright and the moonbeams seemed antsy, North was a little insulted that moon beams followed him best they could during his job.

North had a hard time not getting caught up in the joy of giving to another, truly he loved this. There was a part of his job that North never brought up unless asked and it was one of the more solemn of his tasks. Not every child got presents, oh North never forgot a child, but he was the guardian of wonder and sometimes that couldn't come wrapped in a box.

It was always easier when train set or clever puzzle could fill a child with a sense of magic and joy. North gave each child what they needed most that year and sometimes, in the world where children had little or nothing, or when a child's bedtime wish was more a prayer than a wish, North could only bring a little sense of peace, maybe a sense of friendship to a household that had none. Maybe a little gift that would spark a good memory or a sense of hope like a lost toy or a nudge towards a friend. Sometimes he had to call tooth and beg a good memory to sustain a child and, in very very rare cases he carefully hand crafted a miracle.

It was frustrating when a child had forgotten how to deal with a gift like that or sometimes they had to grow up too soon. Guardians counted on children filled with wonder to grow into adults that wished to give that to their children, often children who had to become adults before their time didn't know how to pass that on and a little magic was lost to the world. North liked to believe that the naughty list was the children that needed saving the most and sometimes he had to make a tough call between a gift the child wanted versus what they needed.

When all was said and done North, as he often did after a holiday, took some time to himself. The reindeer had been taken by a antsy Yeti who were eager to commence the 'I can't believe we pulled this off again' celebration. The elves provided music, food and decorations and typically was the only time of year they were useful. North walked heavily to his office and when the door shut behind him the silence was just the sort of peaceful North really only ever got once a year.

A gift to himself.

In the quiet of his office North shed his outerwear, lit a fire, and made his way to the heavy oak rocking chair that spent most of the year stuck in a corner with things piled on top of it. North cleared it off and sank into it, His finger finding the rough shapes of the wood that had come from inexperience, this chair had been special. This chair was old, very old as old and North himself. It had been cut from the leftover wood of the very first toy he ever made for the sake of gifting something to a child. North had made it back before he had been chosen, before he had the skills to weave magic into toys and the best he had been able to do was a small carved figurine for a child he once knew.

North's spark informed him of a break out of chaos in his workshop and North hummed tiredly, perhaps this had not been one of his brighter moves but he had invited the youngest guardian to his realm. North had not known that Jack had tried to break in as often as he had over the centuries, Mythos of all kind often tried to get a peak and imaginary friends often worked with a child who wanted to see the North Pole. That was always a bit sad, often the Imaginary friend was trying to give a growing child a little more wonder and imagination that would keep the Children in need of their playmate. It was strictly against the Code of Balance to let too much of his magic slip into the world out of his sprinkling of holidays across continents.

Even with a invitation the Guardian of fun didn't seem to be able to help himself and continued to attempt grand plans to get himself into the Workshop, it was one of the few places Jack had to work around being visible for many centuries. The boy seemed continually offended that he couldn't creep in everywhere as he pleased, he was much like cold and winter in that way. North actually had a reason for summoning the boy this time and he took just one more moment to feel worn down grooves and a old smell of something he couldn't quite remember from his chair before heaving himself up and going to save his workshop from another invasion.

It was always chastened North to see Jack behave like a child, regardless of how they looked, long lived Mythos took on a ageless quality after a time and even by Mythos standard Jack was young. Stuck at the age he was, it often irritated other Mythos to deal with a Guardian that acted like a young boy. North gave Jack time to peer around the shop, his bright eyes illuminated with the glow of the workshop. It was a little gratifying to know that his workshop was still a good source of wonder in others although North wondered if Jack could feel the cosy home fireplace warmth that always filled his halls.

North beamed proudly and slapped Jack on the back when the boy picked up a leftover toy. A type of action figure that would rattle in parody of a dance when shook. Jack chuckled and North was so gratified that a 'child' was entertained with one of his toys that North said nothing when Jack didn't put the doll back and instead shook it vigorously as North steered them to his office. Bumped by the occasional dancing Yeti or wandering elf, North closed the door behind them.

North decidedly said nothing as Jack settled himself into the rocking chair, "So what's this about? I thought you wanted a white christmas was rudolph's glow not bright enough?" Jack was laughing at him, not sorry for any slights he thought had brought him here. "You are not in trouble." North laughed back, eyes crinkling.

"Then what's this about?"

"Few things but first of all this is a very special christmas job." Jack straightened in curiosity, everyone secretly wanted to save christmas. White hair ruffled in his winds excitement Jack rocked forward in the large chair, his teeth as white as snow in his smile. "I told you when you became guardian I was wiping clean slate. Well slate is clean so-" North loved this part the most

"Merry Christmas!" Jack was presented with a small parcel and showed his fickleness when the doll he'd played with was immediately abandoned. Blinking heavily Jack swept up and out of the chair to peer at Norths extended hand, looking like he might poke it with his staff. Confused smile, Jack swiped the gift after some hesitance. North had been surprised to see ' _Jack Frost'_ scrawled across his list this year, North had not really considered him a child but for whatever reason his list had. Maybe it was the Code of Balances way of paying tribute to Jack's regained memories of childhood.

In the part that North rarely got to see anymore, the wrapping was yanked off immediately by careful hands and a bright laugh filled the workroom, a hand knitted dark green hat sat in Jack's hand. Fascinated Jack turned it over in his hands.

"Maybe is not too fancy but you are supposed to bundle up for winter, you set bad example for childr-"

"I've never gotten a present before." Jack murmured, enthralled. He glanced up at North, grinning good naturedly, "not for a holiday anyway."

North couldn't think of a single thing to say to that as the boy turned the wool over in his hands. "Thanks." The boys good nature in place, North decided to not be offended when the boy stuffed the hat into his jacket pocket. "Actually called you here for two reasons." North pressed, others should be here soon. "Others?" Jacks surprisingly deep voice deepened with suspicion. Running late in a way they could never help the other guardians filed in over the next hour, even Bunny was alittle excited to be in the North Pole on the big day, it smelled like christmas and North had Jack filch some goodies from the Yeti's celebration.

Tooth had been making an effort to get out into the field more but proved how much the cold got to her by showing up with Bunny from a tunnel. She looked flighty and was still buzzing orders to her girls as she entered the room. Sandy was just sort of there, showing up when nobody was looking. Jack sometimes still acted like he expected nobody to be able to see him and wandered in between people and poked around North's office with interest, looking pleasantly frustrated when he couldn't figure out what something was.

Always happy to have someone to talk to after long stretched of isolation each of the guardians made conversation with each other and North loudly took over the conversation with tales of his work tonight. Even Bunny couldn't pretend he wasn't interested, only Tooth turned away occasionally to murmur to the parade of her girls coming and going, many of whom stopped to giggle at Jack. Jack's attention span drew to a close about 3/4ths of the way through and he settled against the window, frost figures blooming in tandem with North's tale.

"What's all this about then?" Apparently Jack didn't think that his fellow guardians could just get together to celebrate. He was right of course as proven by the shifty looks that were traded round. Tooth had been distracted by the whispers of her fairies and she waved absently at Jack. "You were 'out of action' for months, you got somethin' you wanna tell us kid?" Bunny got straight to the point, brushing cookie crumbs off his whiskers.

To his credit Jack's face turned serious, he leaned against his staff and the windows behind him blossomed frost. "I've heard of cat-naps but that _was_ a bit much." He murmured uneasily. "Oh Jack," Tooth buzzed with sympathy, "Can you tell us what happened?" Jack shrugged eyebrows creased, "That's just it, nothing happened. I was at my lake and it was a full moon." Jack's eyes looked through what was in front of him as he thought about it. "The moonbeams were everywhere and I thought maybe well-"

"What Jack?" Tooth encouraged, only half distracted by her fairies buzzing in and out.

"I thought maybe The Man in The Moon wanted to tell me something but the moon beams just led me to the lake and next thing I knew I was getting a wake up call months later." The room went quiet as everyone looked at each other and the noise of uncomfortable shifting seemed loud. "The Man in the Moon put you in the lake?" North was incredulous. Jack looked uncomfortable and a little bit angry, he seemed to still have issue with the man in the moon.

"I dunno I mean, why would he want to?" That was a good question. "Has anything been off lately? Maybe old Boogie face himself is trying to make a comeback!" Bunny was loud. "Tooth you are year round, anything you've noticed? Tooth, oi - _Tooth!"_ Wings humming with their worry Tooth looked over apologetic from one of her fairies. "I haven't noticed anything except, well-"

"What?" Jack peered up at her.

"Well I can't remember ever being this busy before, not that I'm complaining!" She said hurriedly, "But kids are losing teeth left and right all over the place! More than I've ever seen and not even naturally, look at these!" Tooth held out a hand and everyone wrinkled their noses to see her bloody handful. The teeth she held out had clearly been knocked out. Some were chipped and others actually broken. "The memories get damaged if the teeth aren't whole, that's not even accounting for the teeth that got lost and were never put under a pillow!" Tooth was working herself up and her beautiful feathers flashed in distress.

"Is there a new game involving taking a bat to face?" Bunny was eyeing Jack sideways. "Wasn't because of me." Jack held up his hands "Fun can come from taking risks but it's over as soon as someone looses- well" He gestured to the teeth. North nodded wisely, It seemed that they where not to be getting the answers he had hoped for but he cautioned everyone to keep an eye out. Jack was starting to get antsy he tended to get jumpy if he was indoors for too long. The next guardians meeting was arranged and everyone dispersed, after confiscating the toy doll Jack tried to sneak out in his pocket North shooed Jack out the window. Jack tugged on his new hat and North accepted the silent apology for what it was.

"Merry Christmas North." Jack called

North looked out after him with silent thoughtfulness for some time after, the last remnants of christmas music fading with the dawn.


	2. Chapter 2

Jack loved loved _loved_ celebrations for one thing they were fun which was- come on kinda his thing. For another he was allowed to participate, huge masses of people all churning around each other and Jack didn't feel so ignored, Things were better for him now, belief had spread from a small group of children to other children and so on. The older siblings taught the younger ones and sometime Jack actually had to go out of his way not to be seen. Still, compared to the other guardians it was a drop in the ocean, mostly Jack was a flicker out of the corner of the eye.

Pleased in spite of himself Jack tucked his hands into his pockets and laughed openly as the performers at the end of the parade gamely kept going, even though many of them were panting and sweating in the harsh weather. The larger countdowns in cities were fun but Jack liked to enjoy the frantic joy children had in the smaller towns where they used all the energy in their small bodies to keep going long past their bedtimes the one night a year no adult would fault them for it.

Keeping to the rooftops Jack explored the madness. New year's was celebrated within the span of a few days by most of the world in today's society. Jack remembered when calendars were different all over the place and New years was split up between several mythos. Apparently the 12 gods of Chinese New Year had been quiet content to downsize and now it got split between the Zodiac and the Mytho of most New beginnings, Father Time. Jack hummed excitedly as the parade took a hard left up ahead and the crowd surged straight forward towards the square park.

Jack was somewhere in the upper bit of the U.S. and actually couldn't be sure he hadn't wandered into Canada what with the 10-20 foot high snow drifts built up casually along the roads. Because of the deal struck up ages ago with the sky when the moon first fell into orbit, The Man in the Moon couldn't be around all the time and tonight less than a sliver peeped down on the preceding. A few stray moonbeams were wandering around looking for what, Jack couldn't say.

"Where did you get those?" came a breathless whisper over the edge of the fence and Jack hopped up on a post and looked down to see five 8 or 9 year olds all excitedly huddled around . Jack's eyes curved upwards in a smile, he could spot mischief from 20 yards. One kid with shaggy blond hair and only a thin sweater pulled back to show the others what he'd found. One kid, whose fingers looked a bit stiff without gloves, reached eagerly into the pile.

Fireworks-

and not kid sparklers or small 3 foot fountains you could buy at the store. Jack saw immediately that these must have been swiped from the set that the adults planned to fire off on the stroke of midnight. "Whoa there!" Jack cautioned, "What are you going to do with those?" The only response he got was two of the boys tugging their jackets closer to ward off his chill.

Jack scowled, he bet if North popped up they'd see him _and_ listen to him. Jack looked closer and grew alarmed, the blond ring leader was wearing a sweater and jeans and his only winter related items seemed to be his boots. Only 2 of the 5 children were outfitted for weather that was certainly below freezing. A boy and a girl who looked to be siblings wore full garb but the others only had the occasional scarf and gloves. "Hey now!" Jack snapped and was chagrined to see a cold chill sweep over the children who frustratingly rubbed their hands together but didn't seemed concerned about their blueing fingers.

Blond kid fumbled in his pockets, fingers stupid with cold and produced a small hotel packet of matches. "This is going to be so great!" One kid murmured, eyes dancing with childish delight and Jack was alarmed when his spark told him that this sense of fun felt corrupted. Each child now held a firework or two in their hands and Blondie's cold fingers grasped a match. Furious without being entirely sure why Jack swept up behind and blew out the match like a birthday candle.

The second attempt and the kid dropped the match to the ground, his fingers looking painful to move in the cold. Jack was not impressed, his powers were seeded in people being smart enough to care for themselves when Jack brought winter to tell the earth to sleep. "Don't even try it." Jack warned but the little moron had struck another match and lit a firework held in his friends small fist. Jack was pretty sure you needed to be like really _really_ far away when these went off.

Panicked Jack focused hard as he could and was relieved to see the fuse give out. "Got it!" Jack whirled around to spy the girl, about 7, holding up her lit firework. Tiny chubby face lit up in excitement. She must have picked up the match the boy had dropped. Horrified Jacks panic swelled inside him, no Mythos wanted to bring anything but joy to children, that didn't include watching them blow off their faces.

Jack would almost swear to Mother Earth that time slowed down as the fuze burned up to the gunpowder. Angry, Jacks wind only had time to sweep violently from behind Jack, bellowing over the children and prying the firework from grasping fingers. It didn't put out the firework though, magic was always weaker when it came to man made things.

The firework whirled a few feet away and Jack's spark called for snow as more of a instinct than a plan. The whirl of snow that knocked the children backwards did nothing to diminish the full force of the firework which shot off across the street. Jack heard the loud 'BOOM' moments after brightly colored flame shot across the road and into the city storage shed. Yells from the confused crowd behind him filled the brief moment of pause before flames opened like a mouth to engulf the small wooden structure

"Whoa, whoa" Shocked Jack stared at the structure that was starting to give off smoke. That was-

"Amazing!" One of the kids had struggled to his feet and was looking at the fire with awe.

"Holy cow," Another agreed, totally unrepentant. Jack's head whipped between them and the damage their actions had brought. Looking back and forth to make sure he was seeing a growing fire because the kids were beaming like it was a visit from North instead. "What on earth are you doing?!" Jack snapped at the kids who had all gotten to their feet. Frustrated he made as if to grab and shake one but stopped when he heard the youngest one laugh.

Jack looked at their faces and didn't see anything dark, just child like delight. Adults had made way for the Firemen who are always on scene for fireworks and who looked frazzled and confused as they got to work.

"Zach!"

A horrified woman was doing her best to hurry over while hauling a confused teenage girl along with her. "Mom!" The blond kid waved absently to his mother. "What happened!? Where are your gloves?" Jack winced, his gust hadn't helped, the kids fingers might even have been a bit blue although if the fire kept growing that wouldn't be a problem.

"Hi Mrs. Kennedy" One of the others greeted and the bewildered shock plastered on the woman's face was fair in Jack's opinion. Not 15 feet away a large group had gathered to watch the storage shed burn and this small group of eight year olds was looking like all was right with the world. "Where on earth did you get those?" The deeper 'Mom' tone that promised seriousness didn't seem to faze anyone but her teenager.

"We saw these in the back of Mr. Dunhulls truck, aren't they great!?" A very important part of childhood is feeling like you have a secret to keep and Jack wondered if maybe admitting to the small pile of stolen fireworks on the ground while the fire behind them billowed smoke was maybe not their best choice, pleading for mercy seemed a bit more fitting.

Apparently not sure what line of questioning to pursue the frazzled woman settled for scooping the explosives into her arms herding the small group plus her teen across the parking lot, now cheerily lit by the fire. A small part of Jack's spark was lit up and buzzing with the sheer delight the children had experienced and Jack reminded himself he needed to keep himself in check. Mostly he was just bewildered.

Jack liked to think that one of the best things about kids was that they always had a reason, not always a good reason but they always seemed perfectly content with whatever havoc they were inflicting as long as they knew the whys. This was nothing like that, there hadn't been a motive they had done it just to do it which is fine but kids aren't as dumb as people think. Those kid should have known full well that the fireworks were dangerous. Jack usually preached rule breaking, doing things in spite of the danger is an important part of growing up, but this was….different. It was like they just didn't _care._

Puzzled and a bit frazzled Jacks winds were under his feet before he fully made the decision to sweep up over the fence and into a small shop roof across the street. He could just make out a small panicked gathering of the kids and who he assumed must be their adults. The mother from before was pointing to the fire while she juggled the explosives she had picked up from the children's stash. Jack wondered if they were deciding to tell the truth about who started the fire. The kids were playing tags around the adults legs and didn't seem worried at all. Not even when a police officer who seemed to pop out of the shadows headed straight for the group.

Shaking his head Jack turned away, he would come find the children later but this was parents territory, something no Guardian infringed upon. It looked like the countdown to the New Year would pass unmarked in this town Jack thought as he watched the town's focus on their celebration wane.

"I still haven't gotten bored with a good round of fireworks after all this time, but this is not what I usually see." A raspy voice spoke up behind Jack. "Whoa!" Whipping around Jack almost tripped himself over his staff and then had to pinwheel his arms to stay on the roof. "What the- whoa!" Blinking a couple times he found a rather unmoved Father Time holding a hotdog wearing a jogging suit and standing peaceably on the rooftop next to him.

"You're Father Time." Jack blurted, the man took a bite from the hot dog "Is that so?" Jack blinked "...Yes." The man walked over to the edge of the roof and sat himself down to keep eating. He had a short trimmed white beard and eyebrows so thick Jack could barely see his eyes but he moved with ease. The younger boy had a hard time looking straight at him, Time himself could be a little jarring to look at. Jack had only spoken with him once before a few centuries earlier on a February 29th when he had passed the man by accident. Jack had been asked what he was doing and when he shrugged, flustered, and said "Killing Time." Father Time had been so offended he left at once.

Now 3 years in a row Father Time kept February 29th stored away as unused time and only let one slip by every 4 years. Jack had heard a lot of speculation about what he did with the saved days but no one really knew for sure. Everyone knew Jack had been at fault and he had taken a lot of snark for it for a few decades.

"Bidding farewell to time that's already been used is good for New Beginnings. When people don't say farewell to used time it tends to linger- sometimes even fester." At Jack's alarmed look the man grinned "Oh don't worry it takes more than one missed round of fireworks to really clog up the gears but this town might find grudges and change are a bit harder to move past this year." The man looked interestedly at the billowing smoke that poured out from where fire hoses were beating the down the flames.

Jack sat next to the man and mimicked the way he was swinging his legs off the edge of the roof. "Did you see what happened with those kids? What were they thinking!" Jack jammed his staff in the direction of the small group. The roof under him curled with frost in mimic of his agitation. "It was fun though wasn't it? Never known Jack Frost to shy away from a good time and a little trouble making."

"They blew up a shed!" The white haired boy tried to sound stern but he'd been causing trouble for too long to be a voice of reason.

"In the scheme of things one shed is nothing."

There was no accusation in Time's voice but Jack blew a breath at him anyway. "What are you even doing here?" Jack demanded. Time smiled and finished his hot dog, "It was the time for it, besides I never congratulated you- on becoming a Guardian, St Patrick was so disappointed."

"Why do I feel like people only want to talk to me now that i'm a Guardian, they never did before!" Time laughed and for a moment time slowed down before picking up again. "They never talked to you or you never talked to them? That's in the past, a place _I_ like to wander in, but for you this is New Beginning, Don't waste it." For a moment Jack felt like something heavy had been put on his shoulders.

"Be a good Guardian- got it. Wait- that's why you're here! Something to do with me and the kids!"

"Perhaps." Time allowed. "Time's are- different now and I have to keep things moving no matter what but Time has a habit of getting away, even from me. And if things keep going like they're going there may be no children left for you to guard, Guardian."

"Whoa! Whoa whoa- what is _that_ supposed to mean?" Jack asked. His hair ruffling with a bit of wind. "I don't know."

Jack frowned at Time "Don't you know what happens next?" Time held out his hands as if to say "who me?" but Jack got the feeling there wasn't a real answer. "Here" Time held out a hand and Jack received-

"Firecrackers!"

"I hate to be a bad role model considering-" Time pointed towards the almost done fire, "-but if you do have to do something dramatic, do it with a bang. It's a gift for becoming a Guardian, everyone should have a few spare days in their pockets." Jack looked down at the firecrackers, there were three, and they looked all the world like normal firecrackers but if Time hated one thing it was wasting time so Jack doubted this was anything normal.

"Man I can see why those kids couldn't help themselves, these things are fun." Jacks spark gave a little wiggle in excitement inside him. "So why don't you?" Time almost sounded like he was goading Jack.

"Well i'm almost afraid to think what a second explosion would do, they'd never let any kids out at New Year again"

"Exactly" Time said pointedly, and Jack sort of understood the Kid were the ones believing in Father Time after all. "It's like they weren't even afraid of getting in trouble." Jack muttered to himself, turning the Firecrackers over in his hands. "What do you-" but nobody was there, Times time was up and he had left. Not sure what he was supposed to do now Jack sat on the rooftop and watched the New Year come and go without affair


End file.
